Chris Whiteside is the Conservative County Councillor for the Egremont North and St Bees Division of Cumbria County Council. The division includes St Bees, most of Moor Row, Bigrigg, Wood End, part of the Mirehouse area of Whitehaven, and the surrounding countryside.
Chris lives and works in Copeland with his wife and family.
Chris is a former member of Copeland Borough council, and an Honorary Alderman of the City and District of St Albans.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Copeland Council Report Back

There was a meeting of Copeland Council this afternoon.

Issues discussed included

* Digital Switchover: I asked a number of questions about this, including a request that Copeland Council keep up the pressure on the TV companies to consider offering a more complete range of services.

* Christmas Refuse Collection arrangements

There was a major debate on this subject. Conservative councillors, and some Labour colleagues, were concerned that the council should not take a heavy handed line over Christmas with residents who may be struggling to cope with the combination of reduced collection service and extra quantities of domestic rubbish (e.g. wrapping paper etc.)

* Energy Coast Masterplan

The Energy Coast Masterplan was unanimously agreed, with a number of additional comments made. We emphasised the need for all parties on Copeland and neighboring authorities to all work together to ensure that the policies in the plan actually happen and it isn't just a paper exercise. We also emphasised the need to ensure that there is action to improve employment opportunites in the whole of West Cumbria including South and Central Copeland as well as Workington and Whitehaven, and the need to link in to the policies in the recently approved "Sustainable Communities" document so as to look at a wider range of transport enhancements including sea transport and rail.

* Licencing Review

A review of licensing policy was presented. I asked about the highly successful "Pubwatch" scheme which has significantly reduced disorder in both Whitehaven and Millom and what the council is doing to use the licensing system to encourage those few landlords who are not members to join. I will be discussing the responses with the officers of Pubwatch.